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FAW & WFT Commitment to the Welsh Language

In consultation with the Welsh Language Commissioner, the FAW and WFT aim to improve the use of Welsh language in coaching.

In consultation with the Welsh Language Commissioner, the FAW and WFT aim to improve the use of Welsh language in coaching.

<1R>Football has demonstrated its commitment to improving the use of the Welsh language in communities throughout Wales by producing an Action Plan following a national survey of coaches.

Developed in consultation with the Welsh Language Commissioner, the survey sought to understand the levels of Welsh language competency amongst coaches and the extent to which they used Welsh in coaching sessions and the support they required to begin or enhance their use of the language.

Neil Ward, Chief Executive of the WFT, said: “We were delighted with the scale of response with over 800 coaches completing the survey which has helped us devise an action plan.

“We will be developing more Welsh medium content for coach education courses and delivering more bilingual coaching workshops that provide additional training and support to coaches who would like to use more Welsh in their coaching sessions.

“We will also be aiming to improve bilingual interaction with coaches through social media platforms and we will deploy bilingual champions and role models to promote the use of Welsh in football.”

The FAW and the WFT will continue to work in partnership with the Commissioner, and other key partners, to ensure that support is maximised in promoting bilingual sport so that the Welsh language can flourish.

The Welsh Language Commissioner, Meri Huws, said: “The positive response to the Football Association of Wales and Welsh Football Trust survey shows there is desire among Welsh speakers and learners to use more of the Welsh language in leisure.

“I am pleased that the Welsh Football Trust has carried out the research and that it now plans to develop its Welsh language provision.

“Increasing the opportunities for people to be able to use the Welsh language in sport is very important to me as Commissioner. Last spring I held a national conference in conjunction with Sport Wales to look at how to introduce more of the Welsh language to sports and on 30 March this year we will hold a follow-up seminar with the sports governing bodies to discuss what developments have taken place since the conference”

The FAW embraces bilingualism and has a Welsh Language Policy that covers FAW.cymru and published literature such as The Voice and the International match programmes.